Welcome to Litsy!

This surprise fourth novel in the Earthsea Cycle tells a dark, gentle, and redemptive story set in the aftermath of Ged and Arren‘s heroic feats in The Farthest Shore. I was spellbound by this sad, yet spiritually powerful installment in a way I wasn‘t with the original trilogy—the pages turned easily. I was so happy to see Tenar again, just loved her adoptive daughter Therru, and was satisfied with the ending for these favorite characters.

Another book finished! I did find this one more confusing than the Earthsea books I‘ve read before, but still a great read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finished. This is the 4th book of the Earthsea cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin. I really loved the ending. It was so very satisfying. I'm reading it from the special giant illustrated copy. There are 2 more books to go. The next is Tales from Earthsea and after that is The Other Wind. Then I will go back and read all the authors notes. I started this giant tome last spring but somehow got sidetracked. I just love this authors writing.

My wild and crazy night. I'm on chapter 8 after putting it down for a while. I wish all books came with a ribbon bookmark. Who else loves the sound of a cozy fire? (YouTube for the win on that.)

I had a pretty great reading year but hands down Tehanu was my favorite. I honestly thought Defensive Baking would take it so it was kind of a surprise how much I enjoyed Tehanu. I had a really great time filling out the #ReadingBracket2022 so I'll definitely try this again for 2023.

Out of the four books of Earthsea in the omnibus edition I'm reading this is probably my favorite. I think Tenar is my favorite character in this world so to have her sequel is a gift. There's also a lot about the power of the feminine that was so good to dive into so yeah loved this one.

Tenar has been living on Gont, where she takes in an abused child who had survived a fire.

Annoyingly obscure. People give each other significant looks or come to sudden realisations with no indication to the reader of what the significance or realisation is. I don't know if I want to continue with this series.

#coffeeandabook

After Farmer Flint of the Middle Valley died, his widow stayed on at the farmhouse.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

This series took me forever to read but I loved the overarching themes and how the characters‘ stories are woven together through the quartet. I can also see how it inspired so many other books that I love, like Harry Potter and The Name of the Wind. The final book was slow, but the study of women in the world of Earthsea was interesting. I appreciate what it added to the world of fantasy literature.

“Despair speaks evenly, in a quiet voice.”

Brillant! Book 4 of The Books of Earthsea is my favorite yet. It seems there is a fair amount of criticism for this book, which is quite different in tone and style from the first 3 of the series. But I think that is to be expected and was intentional on Le Guin's part as she addresses some serious subjects especially regarding feminism.

I seriously cannot get enough of Charles Vess' illustrations!

Surprisingly poignant moment in the book. [Blacked out potential spoilers 😉.] #tehanu #ursulakleguin

I gather a few readers didn't appreciate the last book of Earthsea. Perhaps not knowing there would be two more books was the real upset. I loved this one.

5/5 ⭐. Pure feminist genius. I can't describe enough how mind-blowingly well the exploration of the themes in this book is executed. It takes the seemingly powerless characters-women, children, the elderly, the disabled-and showcases their true power. The afterword brings it all together and makes me love Le Guin even more. Just go pick up this series right now. #projectreread

“By the time I wrote this book I needed to look at heroics from outside and underneath, from the point of view of the people who are not included. The ones who can‘t do magic. The ones who don‘t have shining staffs or swords. Women, kids, the poor, the old, the powerless. Unheroes, ordinary people—my people. I didn‘t want to change Earthsea, but I needed to see what Earthsea looked like to us.“

From the author's afterword. #projectreread

Which of us saved the other from the Labyrinth, Ged?

💛💛💛

#projectreread

I found this to be the best of the Earthsea series by Ursula Le Guin. The previous three books were excellent, but this one surpasses them. For a change, the protagonist is a woman. So many gender issues are touched upon and it‘s all done so beautifully.

I‘m honestly not sure what to feel about this book. I‘m glad there is a strength in Therru that can overcome everything that‘s happened. Not because she is changed or ‘fixed‘ outwardly but because she is not.

And yet, I‘m also frustrated with the book. There are so many themes here that Le Guin could‘ve written entire books about! This work simultaneously felt like a well-rounded, complete story AND also that there could never be enough of it.

I am torn on Tehanu. I appreciate what Guin was trying to do with it, but it just flowed oddly. Not a lot happens, which is sort of the point but it seems to hint at bigger plot points only to gloss over them. I am happy to see the end of Tehanu's story though.
#Earthseachapteraday

This is the book of the Earthsea quartet that should speak the most to me, but I was surprised to find it the least interesting. In theory I like Le Guin's focus on women in this book, but many of the relationships seemed built on fear and Therru's injuries seemed strangely overwrought to me. Somehow the whole book didn't gel for me and the abrupt ending didn't help.
SO glad to have read the series with #EarthSeaChapterADay - thanks @2BR02B !!!

This one finished out my reading for the #Earthseachapteraday buddy read! And...I was disappointed in the ending. I was excited to read more about Tenar, and pleased with the way LeGuin began to explore ideas about women & power. Like the other three books, it was a slow build...but this time most of the ideas were dropped in a sudden, rushed ending. I wanted more, and felt like it could have been more, if the ending had been properly fleshed out.

Pretty sure I'm an entire book behind on #Earthseachapteraday but I just finished The Farthest Shore. On to Tehanu!

Yessss my copy of Tehanu has resurfaced! 😥 Now to finish up #EarthseaChapterADay.

? "old cheese rind" as an epithet ☺️
#earthseachapteraday

...my soul can‘t live in that narrow place—this for that, tooth for tooth, death for life....There is a freedom beyond all that. Beyond payment, retribution, redemption—beyond all the bargains and the balances, there is freedom.

#Earthseachapteraday (I got behind over the weekend, and now I don‘t know what chapter I‘m supposed to be on! Is today the last chapter of the book?)

#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 9 : "Finding Words"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 8 : "Hawks"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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This was a moving read, addressing the flipside of wizarding, magic & the realm of male genius. It looks at reproductive & care labour, the daily "magic" of taking care of people; work that's often presented as natural & basic because it's largely done by women. Caring for people & making sure they're able to live because they are fed & clothed & nurtured is important, everyday magic. I think that's what the book tried to show with Ged & Tenar? ⬇️

"Why do we let 'em tell us we're afraid?"

#EarthseaChapterADay

This came up in an article I was reading about Le Guin - I hadn't noticed it before but I bet I will now! #earthseachapteraday

"A marvelous writer, Le Guin has always been attentive to the minutest details of her own prose. In her fantasy novel A Wizard of Earthsea, for example, she relies heavily on words with Germanic roots to convey the rawness of her windswept world."

Parts of this I have been waiting the entire Earthsea series to read. I loved the focus on Tenar. I loved her character and her strengths and her frustrations. BUT, I was not happy with how LeGuin dealt with Therru. (I left a comment about that in one of the daily questions.) This book felt like it had a rushed end, like others in the series, too. I'm giving this a pick because Tenar kept me reading the series. So did the #EarthseaChapterADay 👇

#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 7 : "Mice"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 6 : "Worsening"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 5 : "Bettering"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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I caught up...then I fell behind again. Oh well. Only 8 chapters behind. #earthseachapteraday

#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 4 : "Kalessin"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 3 : "Ogion"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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It‘s a bit chilly today, but I‘m still gonna sit out here on my patio and read my #Earthseachapteraday!

I have fallen behind, but l hope to catch up by tomorrow 😊

#EarthseaChapterADay

I can't believe we're already at the final book for #EarthSeaChapterADay! Am I the only one getting a little choked up by the opening chapters?

#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 2 : "Going to the Falcon's Nest"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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#EarthseaChapterADay Tehanu Chapter 1 : "A Bad Thing"

Discussion prompt below in comments.

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Greetings #EarthseaChapterADay participants. We're finally in the home stretch! As a reminder, here is the schedule for our next read, Tehanu.

I've really enjoyed reading along with all of you. If you don't plan on continuing and want to opt out of the tags, or if you'd like to join us in the final leg of our readalong, just let me know in the comments.

After reading 4th volumes of the Earthsea series, I decided I like Ursula Le Guin‘s voice in female protagonists way better. Or maybe it‘s just because I like Tenar so much. This book spoke strongly on feminism and totally worth reading. 👍🏼

3/21 - 4/4 : Tehanu

#EarthseaChapterADay

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